Reincarnated as the Final Villain's Vessel

”Then why don’t you take a mission?”

I was still leaning against the edge of the window as I listened to Alicia’s words, and the next moment I found myself laughing unconsciously. ”Haha... you’re joking... right?”

Joking was something out of character for her... well, she had been out of character throughout the past few days.

She stopped flipping through the file in her hand and looked at me. ”No.”

I couldn’t help but be surprised.

”You’re really not joking?”

She shook her head. ”Does this look like a joke to you?”

I put my hands in my pockets.

”I don’t know... maybe because one of the missions I went on turned into a robbery by some poor, pitiful people, and the other turned into a nice survival trip in another world.”

”So yes, it sounds like a joke.”

”You can refuse if you don’t like it.” As soon as she said that, she closed the file and held it out to me.

With a sigh, I stepped away from the window and walked over before taking the file and opening it. I flipped through the pages as I quickly read its contents.

”Guards wanted for the auction held by Marquis Valimont.”

I read further and looked over the details, but there wasn’t anything interesting.

Just as the beginning suggested, this noble wanted some students to work as guards during the auction he was holding. In short, it was a mission similar to transporting Relic.

Well, that wasn’t interesting. What could possibly happen? Thieves stealing the auction goods right under our noses or something like that... sure, it was possible, but it wasn’t interesting and wouldn’t benefit me in any way.

I closed the file and placed it on Alicia’s desk. ”Sorry, but I’ll refuse this.”

She picked up the file and pulled it back in front of her. ”But this isn’t your mission. You’ll be doing something else.”

I raised an eyebrow. ”Alright, what will I be doing?”

”I want you to investigate something in the Valimont territory during the auction.” Her tone became colder as she continued.

”I suspect he’s involved in certain things.”

I frowned. ”What things?”

She answered calmly as she straightened the papers in front of her.

”Kidnapping, murder, illegal trade, and other activities.”

Things were starting to get interesting, so I sat down across from her desk. ”That’s a lot of things in one place, but why not send people to investigate it?”

”I did some time ago, but they didn’t find anything.”

I tapped the wooden desk with my finger. ”Then how are you connecting these crimes to the Marquis and his territory?”

Her crimson eyes seemed to gleam for a moment. ”Let’s just say I know.”

I couldn’t help but sigh at the answer, but Alicia didn’t care about my obvious disappointment.

”So, are you going to do it or not?”

I rested my elbows on her desk and lazily leaned forward.

”I don’t want to say no, but I still don’t understand. If the people you sent couldn’t find anything, how will someone ordinary like me do it?”

From her expression, she really seemed dissatisfied with my answer. ” He was prepared for it, so they didn’t find anything.”

Well, that was possible if he knew he was going to be investigated, but still...

”Even so, can’t you just send more people, or better ones? Better yet, go yourself.”

Alicia looked at me in silence for a few moments.

”Caius, the world doesn’t work that way. Even if you’re very powerful, you can’t always do whatever you want and ignore the consequences...”

I sighed... Damn politics.

”So it’s political... well, he’s a Marquis. You can’t search his territory however you want without evidence, not even the Imperial Family.”

Alicia nodded, her white hair swaying with the movement.

”And your ability is the most suitable for this.”

I understood why she wanted me to do it personally. Sending me with the other students as a guard on a normal mission would remove any suspicion the Marquis might have, since he was the one requesting us in the first place... and if he really was hiding something, this would be a rather clever move on his part to lessen any suspicion.

I looked at Alicia, she had her hands clasped together on the desk, waiting silently for my answer, but from what she had said, it didn’t seem to be just ordinary crimes, so I asked,

”Is that really all?”

Alicia’s tone became so cold that I felt a chill as I heard the answer I had expected. ”No... there’s a possibility that he’s connected to them.”

...

I left Alicia’s office and headed toward the residence at the edge of the Axis.

In the end, I agreed to take that mission, and in three days I’d be going with the rest of the members as one of the guards for the auction. Once there, I’d see what could be done.

After all, I couldn’t stay passive forever when it came to those bastards... I really hoped to see them burn before me at the first opportunity.

Better yet, kill them with my own hands.

...

Three days passed quickly, and here I was walking through the corridors and entrances until I reached the place where the teleportation gate was located.

There were ten people going, myself included, all of them first-year students.

I soon passed the guards using my card and arrived at the hall where the teleportation gate stood.

There, in the middle, was a metal arch with ethereal light radiating from its center, distorting the space around it and making it unpleasant to look at.

”Well...” But the place was empty.

I scratched the back of my head, there wasn’t anyone here except a man beside the gate, tinkering with it.

”Was I late and they left without me?” I muttered as I pulled out my phone and checked the time.

It was a quarter to eight; I was a full fifteen minutes early.

I walked toward the gate, approaching the man who had just noticed me as he turned around, allowing me to see the surprise on his face.

”You look familiar... are you one of the students going? Isn’t it a little early to be here?”

I looked at the time again. ”Early?... What time is the departure?”

The man answered, ”Nine.”

I sighed. ”Haaa...”

Yeah, it looked like I had heard the time wrong from Alicia, Whatever, let’s just wait. I turned and walked toward the side of the hall where there were a few chairs.

Without much thought, I sat down and leaned against the wall, letting time pass. I even closed my eyes to relax, while I could still sense the man’s presence near the gate without even using my ability.

Unaware of how much time had passed, I was just about to fall asleep when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I opened my eyes, still a little hazy, and saw a pair of green eyes looking at me, it was none other than Ivan, wearing a wide, excited smile that showed his white teeth.

”Good morning, my dear friend Caius. Don’t tell me you spent the whole night here... are you really that excited about the mission after coming back? Well, maybe because you haven’t done as many missions as I have...”

Talkative... Really talkative.

I adjusted my posture and rubbed my face while Ivan continued talking.

”You may not know this, but I’m really happy you’re coming with us on this mission. I was excited when I heard you’d be joining us. I looked for you over the past few days but couldn’t find you... speaking of which, where are you staying now? Tell me, and I’ll come visit so we can spend some time together.”

I ignored that and looked past him, where two people were sitting on the other side, both watching me.

They were a girl and a boy I didn’t recognize, probably from other departments.

I turned my attention back to Ivan and asked. ”How much longer until we leave?”

He glanced toward the gate. ”Twenty minutes, but that’s if the others don’t come late or arrive early. You know, like...”

”I know, I know...” I waved my hand, stopping him from making up topics on his own.

But as if he didn’t care, he walked over and sat beside me.

”Are the others really not coming either? It would’ve been great if Elliot joined the group. I know we’d make an amazing team...”

His words came so quickly one after another that I ignored them as nothing more than background noise.

A few minutes later, more students arrived, among them were Valia and Naira, who waved at us before heading over to the other two.

They were followed by a young man with black hair, blue eyes, and a somewhat small, gentle appearance.

What was his name again... Jin, maybe.

After him came someone, I hadn’t seen in months, over six feet tall, with a massive body and prominent muscles. It was Garon, with a pair of gray eyes and light brown hair.

And yes, He was frowning... At this rate, he’d probably have wrinkles in his twenties with that expression.

The moment he arrived, his gaze fell on me. It wasn’t friendly, nor was it hostile.

Thinking back, he hadn’t spoken to me since the day I beat him senseless and got rid of that fierce attitude of his... What nice memories, well, it had only been a few months. Why was I making such a big deal out of it?

He soon stopped in front of where I was sitting, his gray eyes fixed on me.

In that situation, I couldn’t help but smile. ”Hello, Garon. It’s been a while.”

The big man nodded, his breathing like a bull about to charge.

”Looks like you’ve returned in one piec—”

But a familiar, cheerful voice interrupted him halfway through.

”Could you move aside a little, big boy?”